


Mementos

by ViimaTheFailcat



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Military, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-21
Updated: 2014-05-21
Packaged: 2018-01-26 00:11:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1667609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViimaTheFailcat/pseuds/ViimaTheFailcat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dwalin goes to a mission overseas. Ori worries.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

When Ori woke, Dwalin had already gotten up and he was sitting on the bed, half-dressed. When he turned, he saw sad, brown eyes staring at him.

"Yes, I do have to go," Dwalin answered to the unasked question. "We’ve gone trough this, Ori."

Ori sat up and wrapped his arms around Dwalin’s torso. “I know,” he sighed, sounding defeated. He wouldn’t waste their last morning by arguing about that.

They sat in silence, Ori’s bare chest against Dwalin’s back. Ori pressed a chaste kiss to Dwalin’s shoulder. “I love you,” he muttered hesitantly.

This was the first time either of them said it out loud. Ori had worried that maybe it would have been too early to say it, but then again, if Ori didn’t say it now, who knows when he’d get the chance to?

Dwalin stood up without a word and Ori felt his insides twist painfully.  _He doesn’t feel the same. Of course he doesn’t! What were you thinking, you stupid child_ , Ori berated himself, laying back down and turning away from the other man.  _He could have anyone he wanted, why would he-_

Ori’s thoughts were interrupted by a warm hand on his own and something cold slipping around his middle finger. He blinked and sat up again. Dwalin had slipped a ring to his middle finger.

The older man cleared his throat awkwardly. “I… This is not a proposal.” 

 _Fair enough, we have dated only for thirteen months_ , Ori thought dazedly.  _It’s the wrong finger anyway._

"I just want you to take care of it until I get back. It means a lot to me, and I don’t want to lose it."

Ori looked at the ring. It was way too big for him, he’d have to wear it on a chain around his neck, and he’d never take it off. The design was simple, silver with a wider bit at the centre and spiral ornamentation at the edges. Ori’s vision blurred and he blinked, trying to clear his eyes. “I’ll keep it safe,” he promised with a whisper.

Dwalin’s fingers brushed Ori’s cheek, wiping the tears away. “I’ll be okay, Ori. It’s just a short mission. I’ll be back before you even notice.”

Ori nodded and nuzzled Dwalin’s palm. “I… It’s not like I can stop worrying,” he sobbed. “Or missing you.”

Dwalin pulled Ori into a hug. “I’ll miss you too.” He pressed a kiss onto Ori’s forehead and stood, starting to pull his shirt on. Ori looked around for his clothes and found them scattered around the room. He pulled his pants on and went to his suitcase, pulling a book from it.

"Dwalin."

The man looked up from his backpack. “Yeah?”

Ori pushed the book to Dwalin’s hands, wiping his face. “Take it.”

Dwalin looked at the bookmark in the first fourth of the book. “You’re still reading it.”

"I know. I’ll finish it when you come back. Alive and in one piece." Ori managed a smile.

Dwalin smiled too and kissed him, deep and hungry. Ori clung to his shoulders, knowing it’d be their last kiss for a while.

After some time, Ori pulled away reluctantly. “You’re going to be late for your flight,” he whispered.

Dwalin sighed and stepped back. He grabbed his coat and shrugged it on. “You should get back to your brothers, too.”

Ori suppressed a groan. There would be a lot of explaining to do.

Dwalin lifted his backpack onto his shoulder. “So…”

Ori bit his lip. “So.”

Dwalin rubbed Ori’s arms. “I’ll see you later.”

Ori nodded and forced himself to smile. “Yeah.”

Dwalin smiled too, lifting Ori’s hand to his lips and pressing a kiss near the ring, then to Ori’s lips.

Dwalin’s hand brushed on Ori’s head and he was gone. Ori sighed and started collecting his things from the room.

Ori was almost dressed when Dwalin came back and pulled Ori into a kiss so passionate that Ori’s legs almost gave in.

"I almost forgot," Dwalin murmured against Ori’s lips. "I love you too."

Ori huffed a relieved laugh as Dwalin rushed back out. “Two months!” the older man promised.

"Two months," Ori agreed, smiling widely.

The door closed again and Ori rolled the ring around his finger.

_Everything will be fine, it’s just two months._


	2. Chapter 2

Ori jumped from one foot to another, searching the crowd of soldiers for the familiar bald head.  
“Anxious?” Balin asked with a smile. Ori blushed and settled back onto his heels.  
“I-it’s been months,” he muttered. Balin gave his shoulder a pat.  
“It’s fine, lad. I was just teasing.”  
Ori gave a nervous chuckle, until he saw a glimpse of what he was looking for. “There he is!” He started navigating through the jungle of returning soldiers and their family. At some point, Dwalin had noticed Ori walking towards him since the soldier dropped his bags and opened his arms with a huge grin. Ori’s lips tugged to a responding smile as he ran to those familiar arms. Dwalin spun Ori around before settling the man back onto his feet.  
“Welcome home,” Ori murmured into Dwalin’s neck.  
“I missed you,” Dwalin said at the same time. They gave a short chuckle, pulling back enough to properly look at each other. There were so many things to say that Ori didn’t know where to start.  
“You look exhausted,” he whispered, cupping Dwalin’s cheek.  
“I am exhausted,” Dwalin chuckled, nuzzling the palm.  
Balin coughed politely, drawing the two from their bubble. Ori blushed again and stepped away from Dwalin.  
“Nice to see you’re okay,” Balin said, giving Dwalin a brief hug.  
“Took the words right out of my mouth,” Dwalin laughed, knocking their foreheads together. “I would’ve expected you to kick the bucket long before I got back.”  
“Watch your mouth, squirt,” Balin chuckled. Ori suppressed a giggle. Balin would be the only person to call Dwalin a squirt and live to tell the tale.  
“Shall we?” Balin asked, motioning towards the car park.  
“Yeah. I can’t wait to get home and sleep,” Dwalin said. Ori took one of Dwalin’s bags and Balin took the other. Then the three started walking towards Balin’s car. Ori slipped his free hand into Dwalin’s. The ride to Dwalin’s flat was uneventful, filled with chit-chat of what had been going on when Dwalin was away.  
Finally they arrived at Dwalin’s flat. “I’ll see you tomorrow at work, Ori,” Balin said when they got Dwalin’s bags inside.  
“You’re not staying for tea?” Ori asked. Balin shook his head.  
“I think you two need some alone time now,” he grinned, making Ori blush for the third time. “Dinner tomorrow?” the white-haired man asked Dwalin.  
“Sure,” Dwalin shrugged. Balin seemed satisfied with the answer and left. As soon as the door closed, Dwalin pulled Ori close and kissed him, making the younger man let out a surprised yelp.  
“I missed you too,” Ori chuckled when they had to breathe. Dwalin smiled and ran his hands on Ori’s chest, his fingers catching on the ring which was under Ori’s shirt on a chain. The soldier moved his fingers to the collar of Ori’s shirt and pulled the chain on top of his shirt.  
“I had to put it on a chain. It’s too big for me,” Ori whispered with a shy smile. “Do you want it back?”  
Dwalin took a step back. “In a moment,” he said, kneeling down to one of his bags. He dug around until he found the book Ori had given him. It looked weathered and the cover was foxed, but otherwise it seemed to be fine. Ori smiled as Dwalin stepped back into his space and handed to book over. “I… it’s a bit… damaged. Sorry about that. I read it when I had the time…”  
“It’s fine.” Ori pressed the book against his chest on one hand and set the other hand on Dwalin’s shoulder. “I’m just glad you made it back with it. And you read it too!”  
“I thought that I might as well read it since I had it,” Dwalin grinned, fingers opening the chain on Ori’s neck and retrieving the ring.  
“Did you like it?” Ori asked as he watched Dwalin slip the ring on and flex his fingers.  
“Yeah. When I read it, I felt like I was with you again.” As Ori stared at Dwalin speechlessly, the soldier cupped the younger man’s face. The ring was warm against Ori’s cheek. From his body heat of Dwalin’s, Ori wasn’t sure.  
“I love you,” Dwalin said and leant down to kiss Ori again.  
The ring, the book, the declaration of love. They were all synonymous with Dwalin in Ori’s mind from now on. Ori wouldn’t be able to wear rings, read the book or think about love without thinking about Dwalin.  
And he was more than fine with that.

**Author's Note:**

> Dwalin’s ring: http://www.kalevalakoru.com/jewelry/catalog/Rings/1335


End file.
